The Priest of Complete Dispel ~ Every Time I Save a Cursed Beautiful Girl with My Status Abnormal Cure Skill, For Some Reason Her Dependence on Me Maxes Out ~ - Chapter 4: Deer and Wolf

Chapter 4: Deer and Wolf

It had been about three years since I was reborn into this world.

I got used to village life and looked fifteen years old.

“Shu, don’t step into the east forest,” said Mizette, the wife of the Mileister couple who took me in.

She was an old lady over seventy, but after I healed her, she was damn energetic.

“I get it,” I replied.

Her food was strong-flavored, perfect for my taste, and really damn good.

Today’s breakfast was a hearty stew with freshly baked bread.

There were quite a few dishes familiar from Japan, so food wasn’t much of a problem.

Since I was reborn here, it wouldn’t surprise me if other reincarnators spread their old world’s recipes.

Iasis village seemed big on farming, with lots of vegetables.

Meat came from hunting ferocious magical beasts, apparently.

In my past life, I read manga and knew a bit about fantasy worlds.

So, I accepted it easily, but at this point, I hadn’t seen a living magical beast yet.

Alright, I held back for three years. Should I check out the east forest?

Driven by curiosity, I decided to break my promise to Mizette.

◇◇◇

I went to the church irregularly.

When I had free time, I was usually there, but otherwise, I wandered outside, helped with farming, or got dragged into sword training with the old man.

Mizette’s “don’t go to the east forest” warning was something I heard thousands of times.

But she never told me why it was forbidden.

I figured there might be ferocious magical beasts, but I thought I could escape if it got dangerous, so I stepped into the east forest.

I wore a black monk’s robe with a wooden sword at my waist—an odd mix, but it was the only thick clothing I had. No choice.

But I’d regret this later.

I had no clue what magical beasts really were.

Iasis village was surrounded by forests.

No matter where you left from, you had to pass through a forest.

I’d never been outside the forest before.

That’s why I was curious about the world beyond.

The forest was quiet.

I walked for an hour and didn’t encounter anything like a magical beast.

I felt let down, but the next moment, my relief vanished.

“Gruoooaaar!!”

“Kiii! Kiii!”

Suddenly, a cry I’d never heard shook my eardrums.

My heart pounded so hard I could hear it.

Cautiously, I approached from behind a tree.

In a slightly open rocky area, I saw a huge white wolf beast and a mystical deer with golden horns.

“Whoa, seriously?” I muttered.

They weren’t attacking directly.

They were using magic.

The wolf sliced the air with wind magic, while the deer controlled lightning.

What attribute was lightning? Wind? No, maybe fire?

I didn’t know, but the magic clash was insanely powerful.

“—!!”

The deer was losing.

Even I could tell why—it was bleeding from a wound on its belly.

I didn’t know if it got hurt in this fight, but it seemed to move slower because of it.

As the wind and lightning clash continued, the wolf closed in and aimed its sharp claws at the deer’s face.

Dangerous—I thought, but the deer vanished and reappeared behind the wolf.

The next moment, a deafening roar—no, a thunderbolt—struck from the sky.

With a tremendous sound, lightning hit the defenseless wolf’s back, and it collapsed. The deer won.

“Wow…” I let out a sound of awe.

It was a shocking battle, like a monster fight.

Even the old man probably couldn’t jump into that fight… maybe.

But as I watched in awe, the deer, which had defeated the wolf, collapsed to the ground too.

Maybe it was because of that wound.

From a distance, it didn’t look that bad…

“Damn it…” I cursed.

I didn’t know why, but I felt the deer shouldn’t die.

So, I approached it slowly, carefully.

Please, don’t attack me.

It’s okay, it’s okay…

I muttered to myself as I got closer.

Up close, the deer was massive—maybe seven meters long.

The wolf lying nearby was just as huge.

“Hey… you okay?” I asked, my heart racing.

“Hmm. A person from Iasis?” it replied.

“Huh?”

The deer talked!?

Weren’t you just squealing “Kiii Kiii” a second ago!?

“Deer can talk. Didn’t you know?” it said.

“No, no, no, they don’t! And stop reading my mind!” I shouted.

This deer was definitely weird.

I thought it was mystical, but its voice was deep, like an old man’s.

I remembered only male deer had antlers, so since this one had them—

“By the way, I’m female,” it said.

“Sorry!” I yelled, instantly dropping to my knees.

Yeah, this wasn’t a deer—it was a magical beast.

Trying to compare it to animals I knew was a mistake.

“I really want to help you, but… I can’t use healing magic,” I said.

“Healing magic wouldn’t work. This is poison,” it replied.

“Poison?” I asked.

“Yes. That beast got me. It came from far away to steal my territory. Normally, I’d crush someone like that, but today, I was careless,” it said.

So, the wolf used a poisonous attack.

Considering its massive size, the poison must be terrifyingly strong.

“If I could reach the healing spring, I might’ve made it…” it said.

“There’s a spring like that?” I asked.

“Yes, it takes time, but it can heal even deadly poison,” it replied.

Well, with its size, I couldn’t carry it alone.

It’d take a huge cart and thirty people to move it.

If an elephant weighs about five tons, this deer might be two tons.

“Guessing a lady’s weight? You’re no gentleman,” it said.

“You’re reading my mind again!?” I shouted.

I stopped thinking unnecessary thoughts and got to the point.

“Your poison… it’s a status condition, right?” I asked.

“Yes,” it replied.

“Then I’ll cure it. Don’t move—” I said.

“You will…?” it asked.

“Yeah. Just rest and don’t move,” I told it.

Relieved it could communicate and wasn’t attacking, I approached its body.

I raised my hand, focusing on the skill to cure the “deadly poison” status condition.

“It’s a beast, so it doesn’t matter, right?” I muttered.

“What are you planning?” it asked.

“Don’t moan just because you’re female,” I said.

“What—?” it started.

I placed my right hand on the deer’s massive rear.

Despite living in the wild, its fur was soft and smooth. Maybe someone brushed it.

As it said, this wasn’t regular “poison” but “deadly poison”—so I got serious.

For some reason, when I got serious, holding my golden rosary in my left hand seemed to boost the effect.

So, I gripped the rosary and activated my skill.

“—Perfect Clear,” I said.

A white light glowed in my right hand.

I started rubbing the deer’s rear.

“Ngoooohhh!?” it screamed.

Its seductive cry echoed through the forest.

I didn’t know its age, but apparently, this reaction wasn’t limited to young, cute women. New knowledge gained.

“The wolf’s poison… it’s strong…” I grunted.

I’d treated poison before.

When a villager got stung by a bug, I healed it instantly.

But this poison was different.

Even with serious treatment while holding the cross, it was clearly a strong poison.

The deer kept screaming. So noisy.

But I felt like I had a mission to save it.

Just a bit more. Hang in there.

—

Ten minutes passed.

Normal “poison” took seconds, but this took ten minutes.

Still, I felt through my hand that it was completely cured.

“How do you feel?” I asked.

“Mmm, mmm… I’m… cured…?” it said.

Like some sports commentator, the deer confirmed the poison was gone.

The blood from its belly wound had stopped.

“—Heal,” it said.

“Whoa!?” I yelped.

Suddenly, the deer used the lowest-level healing magic.

A divine light healed its belly wound, closing it up.

…That power’s insane, right?

“Who do you think I am? I’m Keryneia, the sacred beast ruling this land. My Heal is several times stronger than normal,” it said.

“Oh, wow…” I replied.

Sacred beast? Not a magical beast?

And magic power depends on the user? I didn’t know that.

Not like that game, huh?

Old man, you should’ve taught me this stuff first.

“As a sacred beast, I protect Iasis village and this forest. Be grateful,” it said.

“Shouldn’t you be thanking me first?” I asked.

“Mmm… You’re right. I thank you deeply,” it said.

Then Keryneia stood, lowered its waist, and bowed its head.

For a magical—no, sacred—beast, it was a very polite gesture.

So, it was protecting Iasis.

No wonder no beasts attacked the village.

“Alright… I’m heading back,” I said.

“Wait a moment,” it said.

I froze. It wouldn’t attack me now that it’s healed, right?

It’s a sacred beast. It said it protects the village.

…Or maybe it wants humans as offerings?

“I don’t eat humans. Magical beasts are enough,” it said.

“Good…” I sighed.

“Ride on my back. I want to take you somewhere,” it said.

“Huh…?”

After healing Keryneia, I was about to be taken to some unknown place.

With our power difference, I had no choice but to listen.